1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to display devices including inexpensive novelty items used for promotional purposes and/or as items to be collected in sets, and more particularly, to an erectable display device of a special construction which enables the device to be easily manipulated to reveal a hidden panel for display.
2. Background of the Invention
In an earlier patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,133, there is described a xe2x80x9cpop-upxe2x80x9d display device in the nature of a baseball card or the like. The device includes an erectable pop-up display portion that is erectable from a planar configuration, wherein the device resembles a baseball card or the like, to a display configuration or state wherein an action figure such as a baseball figure xe2x80x9cpops upxe2x80x9d from the baseball xe2x80x9ccardxe2x80x9d and is displayed. A somewhat similar display device is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,479,732, 5,608,977, 5,613,311 and 5,732,491. In these patents, the xe2x80x9cperiscopingxe2x80x9d action of a display portion or panel enables erecting of the device from a planar configuration or state to a display configuration or state wherein the display portion is displayed. As discussed in more detail in the patents themselves, the devices disclosed in these patents provide added interest as compared with conventional sports cards because of the pop-up or periscoping display features thereof.
According to the invention, an erectable display device is provided which is quite inexpensive to make and which can be easily and readily manipulated from a planar configuration or state into a display configuration or state wherein a display portion or panel is revealed and the device can be made to stand up on a support surface. Although the device is clearly not limited to such applications, one important application is in the field of sports cards, wherein, for example, the device, in the planar state thereof, depicts a ball used in a particular sport or athletic event and, in the erected, display configuration or state, reveals or exposes a previously hidden panel or portion depicting a player of that sport. The display device of the invention, which is preferably made of heavy paper, cardboard, paperboard or the like, is simple in construction and is easy to assembly. In the latter regard, in a preferred embodiment, the device is preferably assembled from a single piece blank which is configured in accordance with a further aspect of the invention. In addition, the device includes a support arrangement which permits the device to be supported on a flat surface in the display configuration thereof as well as releasable means for retaining the device in this display configuration.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a display device is provided which comprises first and second outer panels and a third, inner panel disposed between said first and second outer panels, said outer panels being joined together separately from said inner panel in a first portion of the device and each of the outer panels including a slit in said first portion and fold lines therein for enabling the joined outer panels to be pulled apart and separated along said slit to expose the inner panel for display.
Preferably, the first, second and third panels are joined together at a further, base portion of the device and the old lines in outer panels provide folding of parts of the outer panels forming said base portion of the device into a support arrangement for the device.
Advantageously, in a first state of the device, the inner panel is shielded from view by the outer panels and the inner and outer panels are of a substantially flat configuration, and, in a second state of the device, the inner panel is exposed for display.
The device preferably includes retaining means for retaining the device in the second state thereof wherein the inner panel is exposed for display.
Advantageously, the retaining means comprises at least one notch formed in an edge of one of (i) the inner panels and (ii) the joined outer panels. The at least one notch preferably comprises a pair of notches formed in opposite lateral edges of said inner panel.
Preferably, the joined outer panels define a plane in the first portion of the device and the support arrangement comprises at least one support member extending outwardly of said plane on opposite sides of the device.
More preferably, the joined outer panels define a plane in the first portion of said device and the support arrangement includes first and second support members extending outwardly from said plane on opposite sides thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the slit in each of said outer panels extends from a peripheral edge of the respective panel to a point at least close to a defining part of said first portion and the fold lines include, formed in each of the outer panels, a plurality of fold lines extending laterally outwardly from said point to opposed lateral edges of the corresponding outer panel. Preferably, the laterally extending fold lines of each of the outer panels comprise first and second fold lines extending laterally outwardly on each side of said point and intersecting spaced points on the opposite edges of the device. Advantageously, the fold lines further include, formed in each of the outer panels, two further fold lines extending from said point to an edge of the respective outer panels defining a bottom edge of the device. The two further fold lines preferably form equal legs of an isosceles triangle formed with a part of the respective bottom edge.
Preferably, a portion of said outer panels has a shape of a ball used in a sport and the inner panel includes a depiction of a player of the sport.
Advantageously, the first portion of the device is rounded and the base portion thereof depicts a base for the rounded portion.
Advantageously, the panels are joined together from a single piece blank. Preferably, the outer panels are further joined together along a further fold line at said first portion of the device.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a blank is provided which is adapted for assembly into a display device, the blank comprising first, second and third panels joined together end to end along respective fold lines, two of the panels being substantially identical and having corresponding first and second ends, and including a central longitudinal slit beginning at said first end and terminating at a point spaced from said second end, each of the two panels further comprising a plurality of fold lines therein extending outwardly from said point for providing folding of a portion of the outer panels adjacent to the second end into a support arrangement for the display device when the blank is assembled into the display device.
Advantageously, the other panel of the first, second and third panels includes at least one notch therein for retaining the assembled display device in an assembled state.
Preferably, the fold lines for each of said two panels include first and second sets of oppositely extending fold lines extending outwardly from said point in opposite directions so as to intersect opposite sides of the two panels and first and second further fold lines extending from said point to an edge of said second end.
Preferably, the first ends of said two panels are of a shape of a ball used in a sport and the remaining panel includes a depiction of a player of the sport.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in, or apparent from, the detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof which follows.